When it comes to movies with a status of “cult classic”, there’s a reassurance that it’ll survive complete obscurity over the growing years. With that said, even the biggest cult classics can be overlooked by general audiences, which entices me to shine a spotlight on them when I can. John Carpenters 1981 Sci-Fi thriller “Escape from New York” is one such film that has a secure place in the cult classic hall of fame but isn’t often discussed by casual viewers today. So, let’s take a look back and see if this early 1980’s Sci-Fi picture is worth preserving or dismissing. Here’s the set-up … in the latter half of the decade, crime has increased so drastically, that regular prisons can no longer contain all the convicted felons across the United States. To compensate, the island of Manhattan is converted into a giant maximum-security prison, to hold the nation’s most dangerous and lethal criminals.
Our story begins in the futuristic setting of 1997, as we see that one such culprit named Snake Plissken has been apprehended and is about to be transferred to New York. Before that can happen, Air Force One is suddenly taken over by a lone terrorist, forcing the President to eject in a pod, and wouldn’t you know … it has the misfortune of crash landing in Manhattan, right in the middle of crime central. With the ultimate bargaining chip at their disposal, and a briefcase containing top-secret information on Nuclear Fusion, the inmate’s ringleader simply called “The Duke” begins an uprising. With this turn of events, a deal is made between the Police Commissioner and Snake Plissken … twenty-four hours to rescue the President, and if successful, he’ll receive a full Parden … fail, and a microscopic implant will kill him. Thus, it’s a race against time for Snake to infiltrate the crime inhabited island and retrieve the President before his literal deadline.
While everything in this movie strains plausibility, the overall premise and set-up is ingenious. I love the concept of a giant location like New York being reduced to a land of anarchy, which, for a lone hero on a rescue mission, opens the door for all kinds of exciting set-pieces and encounters with interesting inhabitance. Writer and Director John Carpenter first came up with the idea back in the mid-70’s, following the Watergate Scandal of 1972. He initially had a difficult time getting a studio to back his grim concept of a popular American city being turned upside down but following after his success with the 1978 movie “Halloween”, he finally received the influence to begin production. Nick Castle, who famously portrayed Michael Myers in “Halloween”, co-wrote the script with Carpenter, and helped balance out the bleaker aspects of the film.
Before I get lost in the details, I need to address our main players, beginning with Kurt Russell, who leads the charge as Snake Plissken.
I’ll be addressing some reservations with the film as I go along with this review … but Kurt Russell as Snake is not one of them. He absolutely carries this film as a stoic anti-hero with a cool eye-patch. Russell had previously worked with director John Carpenter on a TV production of “Elvis”, in which he portrayed the King himself, and would continue to star in many of his film’s afterwords. “Escape from New York” marked new territory for the talent, and while his performance is reminiscent of the stoic Western characters played by Clint Eastwood, he doesn’t come off like a one-note imitation. He brings his own unique “cool factor” to the table, and hints at layers beneath his tough-guy persona, like he’s a guy forced to fight for a nation he no longer believes in. Truthfully, if I could craft my own figurative “Rock Monument” of my four favorite movie characters who wear eye-patches, I’d have Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken front in center, and at his side John Wayne’s Rooster Cogburn, then Akihiko Hirata’s Dr. Serizawa and Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury putting a bow on the picture.
Along the way, we meet a number of Manhattan inmates, including a woman named Maggie, who aids in the climactic rescue.
She was portrayed by Adrienne Barbeau, who was a regular talent in Carpenters films … although, I’ll remember her best as the voice of Cat-Woman from “Batman: The Animated Series”. The late Donald Pleasence, who was also a regular talent in John Carpenters movies, portrayed the President, and while he was always a welcome screen presence, he doesn’t get a moment to shine like he did in Carpenters previous 1978 classic “Halloween”. The late Isaac Hayes, famous for composing the theme from “Shaft”, and the song “Soul Man”, is also great as the tyrannical Duke, but he too feels underutilized, and I wish he could have gotten more screen-time. Oscar winning Actor Ernest Borgnine at least provides some levity as “Cabbie”, both with his charm, and just the thought of a crime ridden New York still using cab drivers is very amusing.
While the cast is solid, and the premise intriguing, I will admit that I like the ideas and potential more than what the film actually delivers. Truthfully, I felt we could have had even more unique characters and exciting encounters, but the film only hints at what else can be on the island. Also, with all the potential for some white knuckled action, the film leans more on quiet suspense, and sneaking about, which is a fine direction to go … but still, with a premise like this, I feel like I need something to pop. There’s a gladiator style match in a boxing ring that’s kind of average, and even the climactic chase across the bridge to escape felt underwhelming. The final showdown between Snake and the Duke is especially short, but I do like that the villains demise came from the captive President.
All that being said, what the film lacks in conventional thrills, it compensates with atmosphere and lots of personality. The dystopian setting of New York absolutely feels like a character in-of itself, and there’s memorable imagery on display. Whenever I mentally think of Anarchy in the street, this movies depiction of gangs overrunning Broadway instantly comes to mind.
Also, the Dukes car has chandeliers decorated on the outside ... that’s outstanding and is one of those touches that gives the film character. Both the production design and effects are dated by today’s standards, but quite impressive for the time, and the film looks fantastic overall. With the exception of a single scene on Liberty Island, the majority of the movie was shot in St. Louis Missouri, but I still feel like I’m submersed in a larger city when I view it. The film was lensed by the legendary Dean Cundey, who had an eye for making a setting come to life, and would be the Cinematographer of many classics, including “Jurassic Park”, “Back to the Future”, and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”.
Naturally, the music was composed once again by director John Carpenter himself, along with Alan Howarth. Some of Carpenter’s music overlaps in my mind, and many of his cues for “Escape from New York” remind me of his score for “Christine”, which came out two years later.
Also, while John Carpenter knew he was directing a Science Fiction picture with “Escape from New York”, he went into the project with a mind-set like he was doing a Western … with a rogue hero entering a town over-run by outlaws, and there’s little details sprinkled through the film. I feel the casting of Lee Van Cleef as the Police Commissioner is no coincidence, as he’s famous for his Spaghetti Western roles like Angel Eyes in “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. Also, when our anti-hero Snake comes across various individuals, we discover he had a reputation, and everyone he greets assumed he was dead. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a tribute to John Waynes character Jacob McCandles from the 1971 movie “Big Jake”, who had a similar reputation.
In the end, “Escape from New York” has never been one of my personal favorites, and I find the viewing experience okay at best. That being said, I do feel the movie is worth preserving as a 1980’s genera classic and is enjoyable to look back on once in a while. It has a similar feel to many Sci-Fi pictures that characterized the decade, like “Highlander” and “Robocop”, so it’s hard for me not to enjoy it on some level. I wish the setting could have been explored in greater detail, and a premise this exciting could have benefited from stronger action sequences. All that said, I’d say this movie is required viewing for any fans of either John Carpenter or Kurt Russell, as this really is a bright spot in both their filmography’s. If you’re a fan of 80’s Sci-Fi, then maybe give it a chance … you might just discover something worth escaping into.
Thanks for reading my review of the 1981 Sci-Fi picture “Escape From New York” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!
